A heavy, solemn peace had finally settled over the clearing where the group of six from Class 101, alongside their savior Kael, had sought refuge.
The air was thick with the scent of pine and the lingering metallic tang of monster blood.
Syra lay beneath the protective shadow of an ancient oak.
Though she remained unconscious, the jagged wound across her torso had been expertly bound.
Her breathing was shallow but steady—a silent testament to a life snatched back from the precipice.
Around her, the others sat in a daze, their bodies trembling as the adrenaline of their near-death encounter began to recede, leaving behind a hollow, aching exhaustion.
Kael sat a few paces away, his back straight, his porcelain blades resting across his lap. He remained silent, giving them the one thing they needed most: time to anchor their souls back to reality.
Since the storm broke at dawn, Kael had pushed deeper into the emerald heart of the forest. He knew the logic of this simulated world well: the deeper the shadows, the sharper the claws. To climb the rankings, one had to seek the monsters that others fled from.
It was during this ascent that he had heard the screams—a primal sound of terror that had guided him to Gin's group just as the scythes were falling.
He flicked his wrist, summoning his status interface.
[ Notification: Combat Summary ]
Targets Slain: 17 Semi-Spawn Blade-Mantises, 1 Spawn-class Blade-Mantis.
Total Points Earned: 670
Current Score: 1220
Rank: 1
A faint, satisfied smile touched Kael's lips. His decision to venture into the high-risk zones had paid off handsomely.
He was now sitting at the apex of the leaderboard, over a thousand points clear of the masses.
He closed the display as Gin stood up, his movements stiff and pained.
The Class 101 president approached Kael, bowing his head in a gesture of profound respect.
"On behalf of my entire team... thank you," Gin said, his voice thick with emotion.
"If you hadn't appeared when you did, we would be nothing more than stains on the forest floor."
Kael's smile was modest, radiating a warmth that seemed to brighten the dim clearing.
"Think nothing of it. I was merely passing through and couldn't ignore a cry for help."
Over Gin's shoulder, Kael saw the others looking at him—eyes filled with the kind of unfiltered gratitude usually reserved for saints.
He offered them a polite nod. Seeing that they had regained their footing, he rose to his feet.
"You're all stable now. I should continue my hunt further in."
As Kael turned to leave, Gin reached out, his voice urgent.
"Wait! Kael... would you consider joining us? You're incredibly strong, but wouldn't a team make the deeper forest safer for everyone?"
Gin wasn't just being grateful; he was being tactical. He had seen Kael's prowess, and he knew the boy standing before him was the current Rank 1.
With Kael by their side, the quota for Class 101 would be a certainty, and the lethal surprises of the forest would become manageable. The rest of the team echoed the sentiment with hopeful glances.
Kael paused. 'I'm not in a rush for points anymore,' he mused.
'There are six days left. Perhaps observing a group like this for a while could be... enlightening.'
He turned back and nodded. "Very well. I'll travel with you for a time."
A cheer erupted from the group—a spontaneous burst of joy that felt alien to the harsh reality of the exam.
Gin quickly introduced everyone, including Syra, who had finally stirred. She leaned against a tree, her face pale, and bowed her head toward him.
"Thank you for saving my life," she whispered.
"It is the duty of a knight," Kael replied, his tone as polished as his blades.
As they rested, the atmosphere shifted.
They shared rations and water from their spatial storage, the tension of the battle replaced by laughter and animated storytelling.
"All I saw was a silver blur," Jax exclaimed, mimicking Kael's movements.
"Then the Mantis's head was just... gone!"
"The way you leaped onto that Spawn-class," Brom added, shaking his head in awe.
"I've never seen speed like that."
Kael accepted the praise with a calm, practiced humility.
He had heard these words a thousand times before in his life as a prodigy; they were familiar, comfortable, yet strangely empty. He sat among them, smiling and nodding, playing the part of the radiant hero to perfection.
Yet, as he watched them—witnessing the genuine camaraderie of Class 101—a shadow of a thought crossed his mind. He imagined his own class, 001.
He knew that across the other districts, his classmates were likely mirroring this success, but he also knew they weren't doing it like this.
Class 001 was a cage of predators, a collection of individuals burdened by dark pasts and jagged secrets. They didn't laugh over rations; they watched each other's throats.
And then, there was him.
The image of a cold, silent boy with eyes like a sunless sea flickered in Kael's mind.
'Ashfei.'
The boy who seemed to carry a void where his heart should be.
"Kael! We're ready to move," Gin's voice broke through his reverie.
The group had packed their gear, their spirits high. Even Syra was on her feet, supported by Nia. Kael didn't argue; if they felt ready, he would lead.
...
Three hours later.
Clang!
Steel met bone as Kael and the group engaged a pack of twenty Dark Dogs. The creatures were shadows made flesh, lunging with snarling muzzles and obsidian claws.
Kael moved with surgical precision. He drove his porcelain blade downward, pinning a Dark Dog to the earth through its skull.
He stood amidst the carnage, looking around. The fight was over. Gin's group had performed admirably, taking down twelve of the beasts while Kael handled the rest, ensuring no one was injured.
Kael checked the rankings again.
[ Simulation Rankings ]
1,Kael (1230 pts)
2.Isolde (1100 pts)
3.Soren (1050 pts)
4.Riven (1000 pts)
5.Ash (990 pts)
6.Fenrir (970 pts)
7.Flin (700 pts)
8. Layla (600 pts)
9. Ron (540 pts)
10. Vill (500 pts)
]
He blinked. 'Class 001 is relentless.'
Despite being alone, they were dominating the top ten. Ash, who had been lingering at the bottom just hours ago, had surged into the top five. They were all monsters, hunting in isolation, racking up scores that defied logic.
Beside him, Gin's team was celebrating their 20-point gain as if they had conquered a kingdom. Kael felt a strange, hollow sensation in his chest.
He had gained 80 points in that skirmish, yet he felt nothing. No thrill. No joy.
"Hey, Kael! Come on, let's keep moving!" Gin called out, waving enthusiastically.
"Coming," Kael replied.
As they walked, the chatter continued—vibrant, warm, and utterly human. Kael watched them with a distant sort of longing.
He didn't dislike them; in fact, their kindness was refreshing. But as the minutes ticked by, the realization began to gnaw at him.
He didn't belong here.
This warmth was a beautiful lie. It was a comfort that softened the blade. He felt a missing piece in the air around them—a lack of tension, a lack of that sharp, electric edge that defined his existence.
"Hey, Kael..." Syra was walking beside him, looking up with curious eyes.
"Yes, Syra?"
"I heard that Class 001 is full of... 'problematic' people," she whispered.
"That it's called the 'Worst Class' this year. Is it true?"
Kael paused when he heard this question, and at that moment, he thought to himself,
"Am I... happy there?"
Although he only stayed in the classroom and rarely interacted during this week, the unique traits and strange personalities of them had somehow become deeply ingrained in his memory.
The cheerfulness and humor of Kairos and Soren, the pride of Isolde and Fenrir, the silent innocence of Lyra and Seraphina, the determination and coldness of Riven, the calm maturity of Leo, the mystery of Aurelia, and finally, the emptiness of Ash.
These people, for some reason, were grouped together in one class, creating a strange, cold, and competitive atmosphere.
Unlike other classes that are always cheerful and joking around, their class harmonized through arguments, silent competitions, and peaceful daily life.
Now he finally understood why he felt out of place in this cheerful Class 101 group.
Although happy, they lacked one thing: strength. In class 001, Kael had never seen anyone fight, but the instinct of a knight told him that everyone was at least as strong, if not stronger, like Ashfei. Moreover, Kael himself was a loner who preferred to live in solitude, so he felt more connected to those who were also solitary.
Not only that, but he was also a strange person.
Thinking of this, Kael smiled genuinely and said cheerfully, "Of course, I am very happy."
This surprised everyone; it was the most beautiful smile they had ever seen on Kael.
Realizing he didn't belong here, Kael said, "Please forgive me, everyone. I think my journey with you ends here. From now on, I will go alone. Good luck to all of you."
After saying that, Kael walked in a different direction from them.
"W-Wait, Kael." He ignored the call behind him and went deeper into the forest, his figure solitary.